Ask the Author: Karen Stensgaard
Answered Questions (5)
Karen Stensgaard
I'd like to see old New York in the fictional book world of Edith Wharton. She based many of her novels on the life she led in New York City, and it would be fascinating to see the city and how people lived then. If I could attend a ball or go to tea in a mansion mentioned in one of her books, that would be amazing. But I'd want to return to my regular life back in the future soon afterward.
Karen Stensgaard
I have a general idea of where Kat Jensen, my main character, is going and what she wants or tries to do. She is physically active, changes her mind, and constantly surprises me. But that’s part of the fun! This sounds weird, but I look forward to spending time with her and root for her to manage her way through problematic situations. Some readers think that I am Kat, but we are very different. Maddie-the-Muse suggests most of these crazy story ideas, and I'm merely her scribe.
Karen Stensgaard
I'm working on the second novel in The Melville Consulting series, which I plan to publish in 2022. This story has been in my head for years, and I'm excited to have a rough draft already written. Kat Jensen's consulting job "Project Pepper" takes her to Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. I'm incorporating some historical tidbits from Denmark's Nazi occupation during World War II, not widely known outside Denmark. This requires extra time to research and validate, but I believe it's worth it when it enhances the story.
Karen Stensgaard
Learn as much as you can about the craft of writing from books, classes, conferences, and websites. Even my daily feeds from Facebook writing groups help, but it can become information overload. Business writing, which I was used to, is so different from telling an I-don’t-want-to-put-down story. And most of all, grow some protective rhino skin! Reviewers, readers, and even friends may post negative reviews, which are often inaccurate or exaggerated. They will hurt, but you have to try to get past it even though their comments will often linger.
Karen Stensgaard
Too many to list but here are a few that aren’t covering the tech stuff like ‘how to be a better writer.’
• Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – besides being a top seller, didn’t expect to love the TV series so want to compare to the book.
• Regrets Only by Nancy Geary – detective debut and gift from my mom about Philadelphia, my new hometown.
• Banker’s Alibi by Ilsa Mayr – mystery about a female PI working undercover in a bank.
• Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – besides being a top seller, didn’t expect to love the TV series so want to compare to the book.
• Regrets Only by Nancy Geary – detective debut and gift from my mom about Philadelphia, my new hometown.
• Banker’s Alibi by Ilsa Mayr – mystery about a female PI working undercover in a bank.
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